Earlier today while casually flipping through various articles on the internet, I chanced upon an adage to the effect, “You don’t have to go afar to be exhilarated; it’s right before your eyes.” My account is an injustice but I believe it captures the motivation to widen one’s perspective concerning what is round about; and, it strengthens the posture that a good deal of what we imagine to see is in our head only. I don’t reckon the adage is a condemnation of world travel; just surrogate encouragement for those who don’t.
In a subsequent and unrelated telephone call this afternoon with Suzanne Jonsen (Mrs. Tony Cannell) I was reminded of a topic which is of considerable import to me; namely, Coleman’s Island. It is a fortuitous conjunction because Coleman’s Island was the first place in Almonte to attract my isolated scrutiny and which subsequently came to define a measurable statistic of my life here. To this day I harbour a highly favourable view of the Island and its inhabitants, the Islanders. I should add parenthetically that Suzanne and her mother Mrs. Mollie Panton Wells were among the earliest of my professional acquaintances in Almonte. Suzanne and I have lately revitalized our hitherto withering acquaintance serendipitously through Mr. Justice James Knatchbull Hugessen who recently died and who was also an Islander and former professional contact.
In summary the Island is surrounded by two descending channels of the Mississippi River and bound by as many magnificent water falls.
Harry Walker
The reason my interest in the Island was piqued in the first place is because of Harry Walker. Harry was the Manager of the local Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO). I detail the name of the establishment because it marks over 10 years that I have been abstinent and have therefore avoided the place entirely (except perhaps when picking out a bottle of wine to bring to our host for dinner). The LCBO is no longer a regular stop on my agenda. And – in case you care to know – I can bear the deprivation.
But back to my monologue. It was about the year 1978 I was standing at the counter of the LCBO to pay for my booze. Harry was at the cash. He looked at me and asked, “How old is your grandmother?” After apologizing for not having heard him correctly, I asked Harry to repeat the question. It was the same. When I explained that I had no recollection of my grandmother’s date of birth – much less which grandmother he referred to and why – he commented, “I see from the fob of your watch chain that you are a member of the Masonic Lodge. The fob has the characteristic symbols of the square and compass.” Harry later explained that the inquiry about “your grandmother’s age” is a common way among the brethren of asking the age (and hence often the identity) of one’s mother lodge. I then explained to Harry that the watch had belonged to my paternal grandfather (whose mother lodge was as a result in New Brunswick); and that I had no other affiliation with the Freemasons. Not long afterwards I was sponsored for membership in Mississippi Lodge No. 147 Ancient Free & Accepted Masons, Grand Register of Canada (In Ontario), Almonte, Ontario chartered by the Grand Lodge of Canada July 20, 1861. My co-sponsor was J. C. (“Jack”) Smithson, Land Registrar, Lanark North (No. 26) in Almonte, Ontario.
Aside from the enormously enlightening and memorable experiences I realized through membership in the lodge, Harry Walker informed me of another similarly enlivening detail regarding Coleman’s Island where Harry had been raised (though when I knew him, he and his wife and family lived on Ottawa Street, Almonte). As a boy Harry had been part of the Island baseball team. Harry made it clear from the outset that the Island baseball team was formidable; and, that they adopted a less than convivial relationship with the baseball team on the “mainland”. I knew of course that the rivalry was typical; but I also acknowledged the recognizable vitality of the Islanders. Indeed so convinced was I of this implacable geographic alliance that it planted within me the inexpressible celebrity of an Islander. I have to this day always deferred unhesitatingly to an Islander.
David Majaury
David’s relevance (apart from being among the earliest of my professional associations and an Islander) was that I pursued a court formality on his behalf in our County seat at Perth, Ontario. The matter was strictly procedural (nothing adversarial) and involved no parties other than my immediate clients. Of more pertinence was that the judge in that instance was Mr. Justice Alan D. Sheffield who prior to his appointment to the bench had been my employer, Galligan & Sheffield, Barrs. &c. The attendance upon Judge Sheffield was entirely satisfactory; and, I left with a glowing approbation of the experience.
Maisie Whitten
Mrs. Whitten and her late husband had once owned the Almonte Hotel. Apparently there was a time a century ago upon the eruption of Almonte and its native woollen industry that there were several or more hotels. Hughie Whitten was her son. He and I had met around 1978. He and Janet R. Mitchell were among the earliest of those with whom I socialized upon buying my first home and moving to St. George Street (from Rev. Bickley’s rented house on the other side of town). Hughie formerly worked for Almonte Motors (where coincidentally Jack Smithson had once worked as well). Hughie laughingly exclaimed, “The first thing you do with a new car is drive it through a barbed wire fence then beat it with a baseball bat!” To which he prophetically added, “All you need is a clean windshield and a full tank of gas.”
WHITTEN – Suddenly at Almonte, Ontario, on Saturday, October 4, 1980, AUSTIN HUGH WHITTEN. Beloved son of Maisie Cowan and the late Austin Whitten; dear brother of James, Guelph; Genia, Mary and Amy at home; dear grandson of Edna (Mrs. Herbert Cowan), Almonte. In his 26th year. Friends called at the Kerry Funeral Home, 154 Elgin Street, Almonte, on Monday from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. Funeral service was in the Funeral Home on Tuesday at 10:30 a.m., Rev. Ed. Smith officiating.
Robert C. Wilson, C.A.
Bob Wilson (who inhabited one of the many historic homes on the Island) and I joined Louis Irwin as the founding trustees of The Elizabeth Kelly Library Foundation. Louis was the inspiration behind the Foundation; Bob and I addressed the accounting and legal matters respectively. Maisie Whitten had some involvement with Bob but for the life of me I cannot now recall exactly what; but I vaguely recollect it had something to do with her being the personal representative of a former resident of England. I am clearly missing a link somewhere.
Rev. Harry Brown
Although Rev. Geo. Bickley had been the first rector of St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Almonte when I arrived in town, I later became more actively associated with Rev. Harry Brown because he was also a member of the Masonic Lodge. When Harry retired he moved from the manse to Carleton Street on Coleman’s Island.
Neil and Mary Russell
Mary has the distinction of being perhaps the most vibrant school teacher I have known (especially considering her employment by the local Catholic School Board). Neil was my introduction to the stay-at-home dad. To my knowledge it was an occupation which he adored; and, subsequently I met another stay-at-home dad (also from Almonte and whose wife was a banker) who felt the same way. At the time it was a novel employment for a man.
Herbert Francis Pragnell
Although Herb was not an Islander he was the man behind the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum (housed on the Island in a former adjunct to the Rosamond Woollen Mill) . He and I collaborated upon the incorporation of the Museum. The only other particle of information of some amusement is that his wife Helen noticed upon attending a private social gathering that she had lost the diamond from her ring. As I considered myself a moderate sleuth in these matters I offered to assist. Upon intense and sometimes overly tedious examination we determined that the stone went missing as she excited her car upon arrival at the gathering. Apparently she had inadvertently struck her hand on the door of the car. The added complication – apart from nightfall – was a snowfall. Upon the gravel driveway. But guess what? We found it!
Bill Barrie, Sr.
Bill Barrie joined the company of several local gentlemen who made a point of dropping into my office unannounced at 77 Little Bridge Street for a casual chat. Both he and Judge Hugessen (who, with his dog Rosie, did the same) were fodder for more than one breezy yarn. Bill was an Islander too. I was clearly instructed by both gentlemen in the art of pleasantry.
Edith Cody-Rice
Publisher and co-Proprietor with Brent Eades of the Millstone community newspaper, Edith Cody-Rice is in my estimate one of Almonte’s heroines. We are collectively indebted to Edith for initiating the modern and accessible newsroom in Almonte. Edith brought with her to Almonte the notoriety of a senior legal counsel to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
Jane Torrance
Councillor Torrance is one of those individuals in local politics indisputably intent upon fulfilling a useful mandate. I am guessing it is ofttimes a thankless task; but nonetheless one which I believe she continues to exercise assiduously. She is an Islander.
James Knatchbull Hugessen and Mary Rosamond Hugessen
As much as I adored Jim Hugessen I have to say that, at least within the immediate context of Almonte, his personal achievements are shamelessly outdistanced by his wife Mary’s legacy from the Rosamond wool gatherers of whom she was a descendant. Jim and Mary latterly resided in a house on the Island which was as close as possible to her childhood stomping ground across the North Channel; viz., Pinehurst.